Aquitane and Perigueux

I took the train from CDG airport in Paris to Bordeaux.  There I rented a Europcar.  I must mention that I requested a VW, but they gave me whatever a Spanish made VW is.  I was quite amazed by it.  It looked like any other mass produced, fairly boring four door.  But it had a water sensitive windshield.  If the setting was on Automatic, the car decided when to turn on and off the windshield wipers, and at what speed they should function.  Since I was nearly overwhelmed with bad weather from mist to deluge, this came in handy.

The car also had an auto setting for lights.  Some tiny person, I guess, is hiding in the car somewhere worrying about whether it is dark enough to turn on all lights, or maybe even, turn them off now, oops, or maybe back on now.  Of course, being Europe, the car was a manual transmission - which I enjoyed.  But on the panel, there was an indicator which told the driver when to shift up or down and to what gear, to maximize fuel use.  I was surprised at the level of sophistication of such a common car.

Near Bordeaux, there are of course, many vineyards.  But driving east from there, it only took about 80 miles to convert from those to vast, deep, dark and tall forests.  These are not scrappy forests; they are more like the very definition of forest. Simultaneously, there is a huge limestone escarpment, much like we have in Ontario, except for the forestation and castles poking up along the highest ridges and points

There are also cliff-hangers and cliff dwellers and some cave dwellers.  In this region, many cliffsides have homes built right into the.  I can understand how they get electricity into them, but not how they get water or plumbing.  The one below is in Les-Eyzies-de-Tayac-Sireul in the Dordogne department.  Pronounced easy.

 This was a wonderful place.  Of course, it was raining but under the cliff it was dry if not warm.  Many of these kinds of buildings dot the countryside and most are just tiny houses slapped on the front of a cave.

It had been my intention - for 25 years actually - to take a hotel in Sarlat (pop. 10,700), the main and most interesting town of the region - rent a bike and cycle in different directions daily.  I had been informed of how friends did this so many years ago and how they enjoyed it.  In the first place, there were no accommodations available near Sarlat,  Second, it was cold and rainy.  Third, the roads were so dreadful narrow and driven so fast, that I could not imagine riding there at all.  I do think my friend was somewhat romantic and exaggerating of what he and his wife did there a couple of trips.

I find it amusing to speak with pretty average people who ride little at home, but then go to Europe, rent a bike solo (no tour company) and then come home chanting loudly about their great bike ride huge distances. Then last year, I found the secret.  I rode several long line trains through Austria, Cz Rep., and Germany, and I did often see great bike paths nears the tracks.  But I also saw a lot of cyclists throwing their bikes on the train when it was windy, wet, or they were tired and wanted to make the next major city by night.  I think a lot of badly under-prepared cyclists seem to explode their adventures by a factor of about 10 when reciting their stories. I do not mind as I admire any attempt to do something that bold and demanding.

Sarlat is a pretty, medieval town.  Unfortunately the first day I was there, was Market day Saturday/  This means the local opportunists put up booths in what was a useful street and offers their wares.  This is so sensible if, for example, they sell local wares - which the region has in abundance.  But when 80% is more Asian junk and the streets are gridlocked (truly) with humans unable to move forward or back, it is irritating, especially when the skies open up with huge downpours frequently.

But, this is where, in France, truffles come from, and geese reluctantly offer their livers for foie gras not to mention being cooked in their own fat (with potatoes, mushrooms & garlic) to become Confit (too, too wonderful), great garlic soup, windmill crepes, etc   There are many powerful and delicious local drinks of course.  Service is absolutely first class and the presentation if great.  It was the first trip ever for me to eat everything I could from a local area, and it is no wonder that Michelin guides call the Perigord and Quercy one of France's culinary jewels.

I took a hotel in the small town of Perigord and drove around the region to many villages during the days.  It was really wonderful and I managed to work with the rain.

The Dordogne river is what all other rivers want to be - not too big, not too small and run through beautiful landscapes.  This is the Dordogne and you can just spot two canoes on it and a car on the bridge.  The Lot river is also nearby and is also a handsome flow.  I happened to be high up on a castle shooting this